Agenda Highlights 11/1/22

The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting agenda for 11-1-22 will begin with a vote on approval of an additional levy based on a supplemental annual assessment for property owners in the Central Business Improvement District. This levy is being voted on in response to a petition requesting it that was signed and submitted by some property owners in the CBID. The wording would allow for a levy of up to 10 mils on the assessed value of each property with a cap of $10,000, but the CBID only intends to levy 8 mils in 2023. The 8 mils would bring in an estimated revenue of $280,000. The money would be used to fund a “clean and green” project of improved landscaping, maintenance, and repairs to improve the appearance of the district. It would also be used to hire 2 more Downtown Ambassadors. The Police Department would provide the uniforms and equipment for the Ambassadors.

The Board will vote on whether to add a new type of zoning district to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). This new zoning would be Medical, Educational, Office, and Scientific (MEOS). It would in general be a zoning for large administrative, medical education, and research facilities in medium to high density areas. The designation is currently being considered in relation to the development of facilities for Arkansas Colleges of Health Education.

If the new MEOS zoning district is approved, the Board will also vote on rezoning property in Chaffee Crossing for the ACHE Heritage Campus and at 1000 and 1001 Fianna Way for the ACHE Research Institute. These properties are requesting to be rezoned as the MEOS district zoning classification.

The Board will vote on rezoning for a 1.1 acre undeveloped lot at 6230 Riley Park Drive to facilitate the development of 4 new duplexes.

The Board will vote on an amendments to the UDO allowing the Board of Directors to put time limits for developments on properties that receive rezoning approval and an amendment to the UDO removing the language about night watchmen sleeping on premises zoned industrial since the recent approval of accessory residential dwelling units makes that wording obsolete.

The Board will vote on changes to the UDO that will implement parking maximums for all land uses except residential and hotels and will reduce parking minimums, and require Commercial and Multi-Family properties to have one bike rack for holding a minimum of 2 bikes for each 20 parking spots, and require one 8 ft wide tree island for each 20 parking spots. The parking minimums and maximums are based on the recommendations from the American Planning Association.

The changes to the parking requirements are being proposed to help reduce the negative impact of parking lots on drainage, to encourage alternate modes of transportation, to improve the inviting appearance of the environment, to reduce the costs of development, and to reduce wasted real estate.

The Board will vote on whether to approve the new official City seal (there was not an official seal previously and multiple versions have been used over the years), the updated logo, and the branding and style guidelines.

The Board will vote on whether to give free parking at the meters from November 25, 2022-January 6, 2023. The free parking for the holidays has been done since 2016 and is intended to support shopping local business during the holiday season. Waiving the meter fees is estimated to cost $5000 in revenue loss.

The Board will vote on whether to use the Flooded Residence Buyout Program, a program to purchase properties when the cost of buying the property is less than the cost of the public drainage improvements needed to reduce flooding, to purchase a house at 606 Martin Drive for $127,000.

The Board will vote whether to approve the purchase of a John Deere model 950K Crawler Dozer for the landfill. The dozer will cost $816,950, but it will not require any new funding because it will be paid for with the money being refunded after the Caterpillar D8T dozer that was previously approved and paid for ($837,350) and delivered in September was discovered upon inspection when it arrived to be an improper model that will not work for the intended purposes at the landfill and Riggs Caterpillar was willing to take it back and refund the City. Because it would take over 12 months to get a model of Caterpillar that is proper for the job, the similar John Deere brand model from Stribling Equipment has been selected instead.

The Board will vote on a resolution directing the City Administrator to initiate the necessary actions to start building the second National Fitness Campaign outdoor fitness court. The second one would be identical to the new one just opened near Creekmore Park but instead of the graphics featuring the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat this one would feature the art of a local artist.